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By Dorothy R. Winkeljohn, 1975 Between the years 1879 and 1889 the Mathias Winkeljohann family migrated from Voltlage, Province Hanover, Germany, to the state of Ohio in the United States of America. By 1975 their descendants had spread the length and breadth of the country from California to Florida to Connecticut and many of the states between. As a family we are more fortunate than many--the eldest son of Mathias and Catherine Tebbe Winkeljohann left us a record of his memories of family and youth in Germany. This short family history is based primarily on the pages written by Uncle Henry. I have also looked into the history of Hanover and Germany in the nineteenth century, the geography and customs of the people. In addition, my sister Rose Ann and I visited Voltlage in August of 1973. At that time we were able to examine some of the Baptismal and Marriage records of the Church of St. Katherine in Voltlage. VOLTLAGE The Winkeljohanns came to America from the village of Voltlage in northwestern Germany. Voltlage lies between the city of Osnabruck and the Netherlands. From the time of Charlemagne the district was ruled by the Prince Bishop of Osnabruck. In 1801 Hanover and Osnabruck were overrun by the Prussians. The French under Napoleon invaded the territory in 1803. The Prussians drove the French out in 1805, but a year later the French army returned. From 1806 until 1913 the district of Osnabruck was a part of the French Empire. The Congress of Vienna established the Kingdom of Hanover in 1814. Osnabruck was incorporated in Hanover from that time on. In 1713 the Elector of Hanover inherited the British Throne and became George I of England. Thus the King of Hanover was also King of England. From 1713 until 1837 the King resided in London while Hanover was ruled by a Council of Ministers. In 1837 Victoria became Queen in England but the throne of Hanover passed to her uncle Ernest Augustus. The son of Ernest Augustus succeeded to the throne of Hanover in 1851 as George V. Prussia annexed Hanover in 1866 and the district remained a province within Germany until 1946 when it was joined to several other small provinces to form the Land of Lower Saxony. The people were never politically content under Prussian domination and sought status as an independent state. The movement for separation led to a plebiscite in 1924 which failed. The northwestern sector of Germany is a flat sandy lowland. In the first half of the nineteenth century the land has been described as marshy--too wet and sandy for profitable farming. The area had many bogs where turf (peat) was dug to be used as fuel. Over the years the people have industriously drained and fertilized until the land has become productive. Hanover, it is still only an average income farming district in the country. The three villages of Weese, Voltlage, and Hoeckel make up the parish of St. Katherine. Weese lies to the south and Hoeckel to the north of Voltlage. Voltlage is the largest of the three villages and seems to be the business center with some shops and farm businesses. Bransche about 22 kilometers to the east is the principal market town for the area. GREAT GREAT GRANDPARENTS According to the records of St. Katherine Church, Herman Heinrich Winkeljohann and Elizabeth Rotert were married on October 20, 1820. We were unable to find the baptismal record of Herman Winkeljohann and information concerning his parents or date of birth was not given in the marriage record. According to Uncle Henry, he was a carpenter by trade. He made his home in Weese. The church records indicate that a family of seven Sons and one daughter was born at Weese. The oldest son was Heinrich; his brothers were Ferdinand, Dominic, William, Joseph, August, and Mathias. We were able to find the birth record of some of these children. Johann Heinrich Wilhelm was born April 23, 1830; Johan Dominic on June 15, 1833, and August on July 11, 1834. The daughter was Elizabeth who became the wife of Johann Behrens and mother of William and Bernard Behrens. Ferdinand and Dominic migrated to South America and married there. Later the sons of Heinrich and Joseph joined their uncles in the New World. A daughter of Heinrich married Henry Determan. The Determans made their home with Heinrich Winkeljohann on his farm at Hoeckel. Today Heinrich’s grandson, George Determan, and his wife live on this farm with their son Gregor and his family. The Winkeljohann family of Hamilton, Ohio is descended from William Uncle Henry states that the youngest brother, August, came to America, married, and raised a family in Quincy, Illinois. I have contacted the grandson of August in Quincy and his great granddaughter in Mexico, Missouri. They tell me that August and his wife came to America with August’s brother (Mathias?), settled first in Cincinnati, and then went to Quincy. August died in 1899. Heinrich Mathias Joseph Winkeljohann was born at Weese on September 26, 1835. Since his youngest brother was a year older than he, we can conclude that Mathias was probably the youngest of the eight children. According to Uncle Henry, his father served in the army under King George V of Hanover and became aide-de--camp to the King. George V was the last king of Hanover. He was blind from the age of 14 and has been characterized as a gifted monarch even though he was inclined to believe in the divine right of kings. He attempted to maintain the independence and neutrality of Hanover even though surrounded by Prussia. In 1866 he allied Hanover with Bavaria and Austria against Prussia but was defeated and Hanover was annexed by Prussia. The army of Hanover in which Mathias served was made of two groups. The regular army was composed of volunteers on a full time basis. In addition, there was the Landwehr. Hanover was divided into districts and each district regardless of population was required to provide a battalion of 600 men for the Landwehr. All men between the ages of 19 and 25 could be called upon to serve The period of service was six years in peace time- -an indefinite period in time of war. In peacetime the Landwehr trained for four weeks along with some Sunday afternoons. A man could be deferred from service if he were learning a trade, if he owned a factory, if he were a farmer keeping a team, or if he were the sole support of his parents. Able-bodied men who were liable to serve drew lots to determine the order in which they would be called to fill vacancies in the ranks. A young man could exchange his lot number with another or provide a substitute for his service. Usually a young man did not marry until his army service was completed. In all probability, Mathias was a member of the Landwehr. When the army service was completed, Mathias Winkeljohann married Maria Catherine Tebbe on November 11, 1862. Catherine was the daughter of Heinrich Tebbe and Catherine Wiehman. It was, and is, customary in Germany for one child to remain in the family home with the parents. Mathias and Catherine Winkeljohann made their home with the Tebbes. In Germany there is a custom of a man taking his wife’s family name and inheriting her property when he lived in the home with her parents. The custom is not ironclad--it may be done to preserve the family name when there is no male child, or the wife’s name carries a higher social status. Mathias did not take the Tebbe name. This could be for a number of reasons. The Tebbe name continued through a brother of Catherine. Also, it may be that there was no estate to inherit. Uncle Henry speaks of his father paying rent. However, in Hanover the rights of tenancy were inherited from generation to generation. The landlord by law had a right only to the rent; he could not evict a family upon the death of the head of the household. The Tebbe farm is located about one kilometer west and south of Voltlage. A side road just south of the village leads to the farm today owned by the Sanders family. Although all buildings on the farm are new, Mr. Sanders showed us a stone plaque that had been above the fireplace in the main room of the old house. It carries the date 1738. On this farm eight sons and four daughters were born, Heinrich, Mathias, Elizabeth, Herman, Bernard, Maria, Anna, Wilhelm, August, Joseph, Frances, and Clemens. Here one child, Wilhelm, died at the age of two months. Mathias worked the farm, did carpentry work, and traveled to Holland for periods of time in the spring to dig turf (peat). The digging of turf provided the cash money to pay the rent on the land. The children attended the local Volkschule. The usual attendance was from age 6 to 14. Uncle Henry speaks of a one room school for all children and an enrollment of approximately sixty boys and sixty girls. When school was completed, Henry the eldest son worked as a farm hand for a Mr. Roettger at a salary of $14 the first year and $18 the second year. The next year he worked for Mr. Theodore Drees for $24. Henry does not say whether room and board were included but there is a possibility that the hired hand lived with his employer’s family. At the age of 17 Henry was apprenticed to his father’s brother Heinrich as a carpenter. While learning the carpenter’s trade, Henry received no salary, only room and board. Heinrich lived at Hoeckel and on this farm today stands the house built by Heinrich and his nephew in 1879. (After World War II George Determan wrote to Henry telling him of some of the renovations they were making in this house.) When the apprenticeship was completed Henry continued to work with his uncle at the rate of $4 per month. TO AMERICA In 1879 the second son, Mathias, was only 15 and working for his father’s cousin, B. H. Winkeljohann. The family that autumn was visited by Mr. Henry Steinlage of St. Henry, Ohio. Mr. Steinlage brought messages from Catherine’s sister Mrs. Christina Weingartner and the suggestion that one of the boys return to America. Henry, the oldest son, was to begin his apprenticeship and chose to remain at home. The second son, Mathias, decided to accept the invitation. Matt obtained the official permission to emigrate in November, 1879. He sailed with Mr. Steinlage from Bremerhaven probably in November or December of 1879. In Ohio Matt worked as a farm hand for Mr. Steinlage and later for Mr. Steinlage’s brother. In three years he was able to pay Mr. Steinlage for his own passage and send money to his older brother for passage. In Germany during these three years Henry completed his apprenticeship. Born in August of 1863, in the summer of 1882 he was approaching the age for military service. This was not the Landwehr of the province of Hanover in which his father had served but the army of Prussia, a great military power. The following is Uncle Henry’s description of his trip to America. "As compulsory military training was in force in Germany and as I was approaching the age at which one entered the army, I decided to leave my native country and go to America. My brother Matt had provided me with a pass from Bremerhaven to Lima, Ohio. The order from the ship’s company required me to be in Bremerhaven three days before the sailing. My father and I left home on a Sunday morning after Low Mass and were taken in a sample wagon to the railroad station in Furstnau. Father accompanied me to Bremerhaven and remained for one night at the hotel. During the three day stay at the hotel, I became acquainted with a family who were sailing on the same ship. As there was some irregularity concerning my deferment from the army, the father of this family permitted me to remain with them and provided me with a small box to carry on my shoulders as we walked up the gangplank. The officer-in-charge, assuming that I was a member of this family, did not require me to show my army papers. "We were permitted to board ship, the Hohenzollern, about ten o’clock on Wednesday morning. On the second day at sea, it became very stormy; and everyone was ill for the two days and nights that this rough weather continued. After the third day, the sea became calm and everyone’s spirits noticeably improved. Music, singing, and dancing were continually in progress. The passengers were very gay, despite the fact that accommodations were exceedingly bad. All the food, excepting the bread and salted herring, tasted of sea water. When the ship was approaching Baltimore, we were asked if we would like to see the first-class cabins. Before being granted this privilege we had to sign papers stating that we were satisfied with the treatment that we had received during the crossing. "After docking in the afternoon, we were asked to remain another night on the Hohenzollern to wait for the special immigrants’ train which would leave the following afternoon, a Friday, at two o’clock for Milwaukee. We arrived at Deshler, Ohio, where I was to change trains at eight o’clock on a Sunday morning. I attempted to get some information from the station officials but I could not find anyone who understood me. Finally the railroad agent pointed to the clock and explained by sign language that I would have to wait until twelve o’clock that night to get a train for Lima, Ohio. "While on the train to Lima, I became acquainted with a man who spoke both German and English. As it was necessary for me to buy another ticket from Lima to Coldwater, Ohio, he agreed to help me make the purchase. I had had only two dollars and some cents when I arrived in Baltimore but Mr. Steinlage in St. Henry had sent two more dollars to enable me to get from Lima to Coldwater. The ticket agent in Lima informed me that the fare was ninety cents. I gave him a silver dollar which he promptly returned to me. My friend asked me if I had any other money, and I replied that I had another silver dollar which I then gave to the agent who handed me a ticket and a dime. I began to wonder what sort of a country this United States was. I had just arrived and already I possessed counterfeit money. My friend explained that the first dollar was a Canadian silver piece which the railroads refused to accept, but which was worth ninety cents in other places. "I arrived in Coldwater about four o’clock on a Monday morning. The town was completely quiet and the station was deserted. Eventually I spied a man walking down the railroad tracks. I hailed him; and after discovering that he could speak German, I asked him for directions to the Steinlage farm. He told me to follow what is now the New York Central Railroad tracks. The land had been graded but as yet no rails had been laid, and consequently, I could easily walk the three and one-half miles to my destination. After walking about three-quarters of an hour, I stopped at a farm house where the people pointed out the Steinlage farm. I was greeted by the Steinlage family at breakfast time on the third of July, 1882." Henry was first employed as a farm hand by Mr. Steinlage’s son-in-law but soon found employment as a carpenter. In 1885 Matt and Henry were joined by their brother Herman. Herman came to St. Henry accompanied by his two cousins, Bernard Behrens and Henry Tebbe. He learned the leather trade and was employed by Mr. Dramann in St. Henry. In 1889 Mathias and Catherine decided to migrate to America with the rest of the family. The decision was probably based upon a number of factors; the three sons in America seem to have done well economically in a short time; Prussia had become a strong military power in Europe and four more sons could face military service; and finally there was the emotional pull of three sons an ocean away. As preparations for the trip were being made, the family built a shrine to the Sorrowful Mother at the point where the side road from their home met the main road approaching Voltlage from the south. At the base of the shrine they wrote in the stone, “Built by the family Winkeljohann who went to America. Pray for us.” The shrine stands today- -the inscription worn dim with time. The family property was disposed of at public sale and after fourteen days at sea the family arrived in Baltimore on August 21, 1889. At first the family lived in an apartment on Linn Street near St. Joseph’s Church in Cincinnati. Mathias worked as a carpenter for a Mr. Doepke. The three older daughters entered domestic service. The younger children entered school. In September of 1898 Mathias and Catherine moved to Celina. They bought a small house located behind the lumber yard on West Logan Street. Mathias worked in the lumber yard and tended his large garden. He passed away in February, 1910. Four years later Catherine passed away. They are buried in the Catholic Cemetery at Celina. THE FAMILY Henry completed his apprenticeship as a carpenter before coming to the United States. In the first years in this country he worked as a carpenter and as manager of the flour mill in St. Henry. On June 27, 1891, Henry married Anna Meinerding of St. Henry. On August 12 of the following year Anna died in childbirth, On June 27, 1894, Henry married Rebecca Ann Romer. About the time of this marriage Henry was approached by Peter Kuntz, Sr., of Dayton and was subsequently employed to manage a new lumber business which was to be started in Celina. In November of 1894 Henry and his wife moved to Celina. The lumber business gradually evolved into the Celina Lumber and Supply Company. Henry continued his association with this firm until his death in 1955. Matt from the time of his arrival worked as a farm hand in the St. Henry and St. Anthony area. On November 19, 1890 he married Rosina Dabbelt of St. Anthony. He farmed west of St. Henry until 1907. After moving into the village of St. Henry he operated the St. Henry Tile Company for a number of years. After the death of his wife in 1926 he moved to Celina and was employed as engineer at the parish school. He passed away in 1942. Herman came to the U.S. in 1885 and was first employed as a saddler and harness maker in St. Henry. Later he moved to Toledo where he married Mary Samberg and raised a family. He passed away in 1921. The eldest daughter Elizabeth came to the United States with the family in 1889. She worked first as a domestic servant and later as housekeeper at several rectories in Cincinnati. When her health failed she came to Celina and spent her last months with her sister, Mrs. Anna Art. She died at Celina in 1931. Bernard was 19 when he came from Germany with his parents. In Germany he had been trained as a carpenter. In Cincinnati he became a painter and decorator. After he moved to Celina and married Clara Enneking, he continued to work as a house painter and paper hanger. He passed away in 1924. Mary was 17 when the family came from Germany. She entered domestic service in Cincinnati and later married Herman Bueltel. They settled in Seneca, Kansas, where Mr. Bueltel farmed and worked as a carpenter. She passed away at Seneca in 1947. Anna was 15 when the family came to Cincinnati. She also worked as a domestic and later married Bernard Art. Mr. Art died in December 1909. After her father’s death in February 1910, Anna and her three sons came to Celina and lived with her mother Catherine until her mother’s death in February 1914. She continued to live in her parents’ home until her death in 1946. August was 13 when the family left Germany. He stayed in Cincinnati for a short time before coming to St. Henry. After about six months working as a farm hand he returned to Cincinnati where he became a bartender. He married Philomena Teitmeyer and later moved his family to Celina. Here he was employed at Mersman Brothers Corporation. He passed away in 1959. Joseph came from Germany at the age of 11. He learned the barber trade in Cincinnati and worked there for several years. He married Elizabeth Hagedorn and operated a barbershop in Chickasaw until his death in 1921. Joe and his wife are buried in the Precious Blood Cemetery, Chickasaw. Frances, the youngest daughter, was 8 when the family came from Germany. After finishing her education she was employed as a seamstress in a Cincinnati department store. She married John Metcko, a tailor. They moved to Detroit and operated a tailor shop there. Frances died in Detroit in 1937. The youngest child was known as Cliff. He was only 5 years old when the family came to America. He was associated with the Kuntz and Herr Lumber Companies in Celina, Greenville, and Mendon. He moved to Detroit with his wife Bertha Morrell and continued in the lumber business. He passed away in 1955 [12/20/54]. THE WINKELJOHANNS OF VOLTLAGE TODAY In 1973 the Voltlage telephone directory listed four households with the name of Winkeljohann, Johann and Heinrich Winkeljohann. [They] are brothers who live in Hoeckel. Rose Ann and I did not meet either of these men, This Winkeljohann family will die out since there is no new generation. The other two households are those of Karl Winkeljohann of Weese and Bernard, his brother, of Voltlage. During our visit Rose Ann and I spent most of our time with Bernard since he spoke rather fluent English. Karl and Bernard from the Winke1johann family of Weese. Karl is the elder and has inherited the family farm where he lives with his family of eight children. Bernard is a gardener and operates a florist shop and greenhouse in Voltlage. Their sister Maria is married to Herman Thelen. They live in Lubeck and have one son. Another brother Josef was killed in action in 1945. We were given to believe that the family in Weese carries a much higher social status than the family in Hoeckel. Karl and Bernard do not consider themselves related to the Hoeckel family. Are we related to either of these families? Karl and Bernard trace their ancestry to their great great grandparents, Hermann Winkeljohann and Elizabeth Johannigmann. We found the record of this marriage in the Church records of 1820. Witness of this marriage was Hermann Heinrich Winkeljohann who had been married to Elizabeth Rotert just a few months earlier with Herman Winkeljohann as witness. It is most likely that these two men were brothers. Added to this is Uncle Henry’s statement that Matt worked as a farm hand for his father’s cousin B. H. Winkeljohann. Bernard’s great grandfather was Bernard Heinrich. In 1950 Uncle Henry corresponded with Bernard and spoke of other relatives including Johann Heinrich who was a Kaufmann in Holland. This man is also an ancestor of Karl and Bernard. The genealogy which Bernard sent to Uncle Henry in 1950 follows. Two items may be noted. 1) Karl and Bernard inherited the name of Winkeljohann
from their mother. They both seemed proud of the name.
GENEOLOGY - BERNARD WINKELJOHANN Johann Winkel married (1692) Maria
Hermann Winkeljohann married (1820) Elizabeth Johannigman
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